The Los Angeles Lakers offseason has been pretty quiet other than the team changing head coaches. Former head coach Darvin Ham was let go shortly after the season ended and he was replaced by first-time head coach JJ Redick.
The former NBA guard brings no prior experience to the table but he has been around the game as both a broadcaster and podcaster. Redick is being tasked with maximizing the core group of players that is on the Los Angeles roster.
But which members of the Lakers will benefit the most from having Redick as the head coach? Here are the top five players who should get a boost under Redick.
5. Jaxson Hayes
Hayes might be an afterthought to some but he is currently the backup center for Los Angeles. He showed some strong flashes with the team last season and will be looking to grow his game even more.
He has never been a strong rebounder but under Redick’s system, the chances for offensive rebounds will be there. If the Lakers are taking more three-point shot attempts, Hayes can provide value to the team with rebounding and easy putbacks.
4. Austin Reaves
Reaves has stepped up his game immensly over the last few seasons but under Redick, it could be taken to new heights. He may end up getting a ton of the point guard responsibilities, especially when playing with the bench unit.
If Reaves can become more of a consistent threat from the outside, he could be very hard to defend. Redick’s offensive system will likely be more modern, adapting to the game of Reaves.
3. D’Angelo Russell
The curious case of Russell continues. Nobody knows if he will be on the roster when the season starts but assuming that he is, he could easily benefit from having Redick around.
Russell has always been a player who plays better when he has the green light to shoot his shot attempts. Under Redick, he will be given that green light consistently, potentially allowing for another solid regular season from the embattled point guard.
2. Rui Hachimura
Hachimura has seen his ups and downs during his time with the Lakers but he has shown flashes of brilliance. Redick spoke about how excited he was to coach Hachimura during his introductory press conference, signaling a new role for the forward.
Hachimura was already a strong 3-point shooter last season, coming in at 42.2 percent last season. But in this new 3-point heavy system that Redick wants to implement, Hachimura could see himself becoming an even more deadly shooter from distance on more attempts.
1. Anthony Davis
Redick has already said that he wants to use Davis as the “hub” of the offense, giving the big man more responsibility. If he can tap into the play-making ability of Davis, it could help unlock a new level to the Lakers’ offense.
Davis has already shown himself to be one of the better players across the NBA but with Redick, we could see his game be taken to a new level.